Health System Redesign

Moving forward: Physicians co-designing an integrated health system for Saskatchewan

Since March 2016, the leadership of the Saskatchewan Medical Association has engaged its members in discussions about health system redesign. At its simplest, health redesign is about building a more integrated health system, one that provides better outcomes for patients and a better work environment for physicians. Click here to view the infographic.

For physicians, health system redesign encompasses the following four themes:

Relationships: How can physicians be more fully integrated into the system, and how can the system better partner with physicians?

Leadership: What leadership roles should physicians play within the health-care system, and what capabilities and skills do physicians need to fill these roles?

Data and accountability: What data and analysis supports are needed to help physicians build evidence-informed improvement into practice? What does accountability look like within a redesigned system?

Compensation: How can we best align physician compensation models with improvements in patient care and physician work-life balance?

What our members think of health system redesign

At the 2016 Spring Representative Assembly (RA) and at the 2016 Fall RA, SMA leadership, members and others discussed these ideas at length. There was a consensus that the SMA needed to hear from a wider swath of the membership. The 2017 survey on health system redesign was administered from Jan. 16 to Feb. 5, 2017. Close to 650 physicians participated in the survey, which asked their opinions on a range of issues including team-based care, data and accountability, compensation and physician participation in health system redesign.

The results (linked below) show that there is widespread support for moving in the direction that enables physicians to participate in the planning, management and governance of the health system.

Discussion Paper from May 2016
In advance of the 2016 Spring Representative Assembly, the SMA Board of Directors circulated this discussion paper which gives a good overview of the issues related to modernization and health system redesign.

2016 Fall Representative Assembly

The SMA's 2016 Fall Representative Assembly was held in Regina on Nov. 4 and 5, 2016.

While many resolutions are aimed at improving and redesiging aspects of the health-care system, please note resolution number 29, linked above, as it explicitly comments on the SMA's commitment to building a more integrated health care system.